Glory's Ryan eyes return to Reading

YOUNG Socceroo Ryan Edwards is enjoying his time back in Australia but has not given up on a successful return to Reading next year.

Edwards joined Perth Glory in July on a season-long loan from the English Championship club after the midfielder had moved to Reading in 2011 after a stint at the AIS.

Edwards, who has captained the Young Socceroos and was a member of the Australian squad at the 2013 Under-20 World Cup, said the pre-season switch to the Glory happened fast.

“I just had the World Cup and was peaking to the Reading staff, about what I was going to do, and it just happened pretty suddenly,” he said.

“Alistair [Edwards] came and said do you want to come back on loan, and then in a week I was back in Perth.”

The 19-year old has arrived in the A-League to play first-team football and was one of Perth’s best in the round one defeat to Adelaide United.

“I’ve been in the England system now, adapted well, I’ve been there for two years and I’ve just reached a stalemate,” he said. “Just 21s, reserves, but not really getting an opportunity.

"It was a bit hard to find first team football over there; I suppose it’s a bit hard to go to League One and League Two with their style of football.

"I think it’s the best situation for me to come back and play first team football here.”

Edwards was a boyhood Glory fan and is relishing the opportunity to play for the Western Australian club.

“Obviously my Dad played for Glory, I grew up watching the games,” he said. “It’s my hometown club.

"Every kid’s dream is to play for their home club and I’m lucky enough to do it early in my career so I’m pretty happy with that.”

Edwards, who can play on the right or in the centre of midfield, has no regrets about his time in the UK.

“Everyone wants to play in Europe and that’s where the best football is,” he said. “I loved it. Even out of football as well, so close to London. The football was hard to adapt to at the start but I got used to it, started enjoying it, playing well.

“Reading have a great academy. They’re in the category one so they were playing all the Premier League clubs so the standard was very high. Most of the teams in the competition try and play a good style of football, so it was very enjoyable.”

Edwards hopes to use his A-League experience to help him push for a spot in Reading’s first-team.

“I’ve got two years left on my contract so after this year I’ll go back to Reading, that’s the plan at the moment,” he said.

“Hopefully this season I’ll do well and hopefully the Reading staff see that and I can push myself into the first team next season.”